Welcome
Balancing tractor safety with enjoyment is the topic for discussion this month.

Make mine a double!
Jerry Thurston gets up close to John Howard’s beautifully-engineered double David Brown 995 tractor, which completed this year’s National Vintage Tractor Road Run only the day after it was finished.

Carrington Rally - first report.
Tony Hoyland brings a first taste of the action from the big Carrington Rally, which had the famous Tractor Trials of 75 years ago as one of its special themes.

End of an era at Morecambe Bay?
Just before the recent ban on Morecambe Bay cockling came into force, David Bowers spent one last day with the famous tractor-fishermen on the shifting sands.

News
Road runs galore on seven pages of news this month.

Fred’s Restoration
Problem-Solver

A field-tester with DB Albion
James Speakman tells of his years helping develop the products of the David Brown company of Harrison, McGregor Guest Ltd of Leigh, Lancashire, in the mid-to-late 1950s.

Funny Farm
The column is tinged with sadness this month as the Editor’s Labrador Meg has to be put to sleep at less than four years old because of a sudden terrible illness.

£15,500 for a Ford 5000?
Jane Brooks and her husband Stephen join the queues to reach an extraordinary Cheffins’ sale.

History among the hops
During his travels in Kent, Alan Barnes comes across Derek Reader’s fine hopfield-converted David Brown 25D, whose full working history has been carefully recorded.

‘Got any tractor pamphlets, mister?’
In Farming by the Fireside, Pete Kelly feasts his eyes on a superb collection of old tractor sales brochures kindly lent by John Barker.

A potent tradition
Peter Small recounts the history of the world-famous Perth Bull Sales, founded 140 years ago and still going strong.

Tractors at Llandudno
Fred Needham reports from the tractor side at the Llandudno Transport Festival.

International 414 in cancer marathon
Justin Roberts catches up with a tractor marathon team just before it sets off on a fund-raising adventure to Land’s End and back.

Simple steps that can save your life
Pete Kelly’s eyes are opened wide as John Baker visits Lincolnshire to offer some vital tractor safety advice and look over a certain Fordson Diesel Major.

Bamlett’s of Thirsk - part 2
Mike Teanby follows the fortunes of Bamlett’s of Thirsk as it moves forward under new ownership by importing and building an impressive new range of its own products.

Rare Breeds Factfile
One of Britain’s oldest poultry breeds, the Dorking, comes under scrutiny in Marianne Thomas’s column this month.

Have Fergie, will travel
In Tractor Talk, Pete Kelly catches up with Cyril Tomblin, who drives his grey Ferguson to and from every road run he takes part in, notching up 100 miles plus on most occasions.

Cool mint Imperial takes rally heat
Roger Hamlin reports on one of the pioneering tractors of Australia.

A farming childhood
John Smith looks back to his early years on a Suffolk farm.

Diary Dates

Letters

Who’s wearing the wellies now?
Jo Roberts meets three inspiring lady farmers of the Llyn Peninsula of North Wales.

The ponies of Dartmoor
John Hobbs writes about the ponies he has known and loved for many a year.

Remote access, Hebridean-style
Polly Pullar transports us magically to the outer Hebrides, where randy sheepdogs, Gaelic expletives and a small boat that breaks down a little too close to ‘The Drowning Rocks’ for comfort are all part of the crofters’ lot as they round up their sheep on an uninhabited island.

Advintage
Hundreds of classified advertisements for the vintage enthusiast.